Work machines typically include an operator cabin, which houses one or more machine controls and an operator interface. The operator cabin may be sealed from the environment and may include an air-treatment system providing for the comfort of the operator when the work machine operates in harsh environments.
The air-treatment system for a work machine may include a high-pressure refrigeration system driven by the engine and a low-pressure fluid circulation system. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,877 (the '877 patent) issued to Pfeiffer et al. on Mar. 21, 2000, describes an air-conditioning system having a power cell, a remote heat exchanger, and a low-pressure fluid circuit in communication with the heat exchanger. The power cell of the '877 patent includes a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator in a closed high-pressure cooling circuit. The low-pressure circuit thermally interfaces with the condenser to remove heat from the high-pressure cooling circuit. The heat exchanger mounts in the cabin of a vehicle to allow for air to be cooled by the heat exchanger as it flows into the cabin.
The air-conditioning system of the '877 patent, however, does not include a control system and may operate inefficiently under a variety of environmental conditions. In addition, the system of the '877 patent does not include a heating circuit and can only cool the air entering the cabin. The system of '877 patent may lack functionality for simultaneous multi-space use, such as in a work machine having an operator cabin and a sleeping cabin.
The present invention overcomes one or more of the problems set forth above.